What is the soorah that is equivalent to half of the Qur’aan?

 

Which surah of Al-Quran when recited is equal to reciting 1/2 Al-Quran?.

Praise be to Allaah.

There are many ahaadeeth which speak of the virtue of certain
soorahs of the Qur’aan, some of which are saheeh, but many of them are
da’eef (weak) or munkar. That includes the hadeeth which speaks of the
virtue of Soorat al-Zalzalah and says that it is equivalent to half of the
Qur’aan. A number of munkar ahaadeeth were narrated concerning that. They
are as follows: 

1 – It was narrated that Ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allaah be pleased
with him) said: The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah
be upon him) said: “ ‘When the earth is shaken with its (final)
earthquake’ (i.e., Soorat al-Zalzalah) is equivalent to half of the
Qur’aan.” Narrated by al-Tirmidhi (2894) and al-Haakim (1/754). 

Its isnaad includes Yamaan ibn al-Mugheerah al-‘Anzi,
concerning whom al-Bukhaari and Abu Haatim said: his hadeeth is munkar. Ibn
Hibbaan said: his hadeeth is very munkar; he narrates munkar hadeeth that
have no basis and deserve to be ignored. See Tahdheeb al-Tahdheeb
(4/452). 

Yamaan is the only one who narrated this hadeeth, alone among
the companions of ‘Ata’, and he is not acceptable as a sole narrator of a
hadeeth, rather the fact that he is the sole narrator indicates that it is
munkar. And Allaah knows best. 

The majority of scholars are the view that the hadeeth is to
be regarded as weak because of Yamaan ibn al-Mugheerah, in contrast to those
scholars who classed it as saheeh. It was classed as da’eef by al-Tirmidhi
when he said, after quoting it: it is ghareeb and we know it only from the
hadeeth of Yamaan ibn al-Mugheerah. It was also classed as such by Ibn ‘Abd
al-Barr in al-Tamheed, where he said: It is one of the ahaadeeth of
the Shaykhs, not one of the ahaadeeth of the imams. And it was classed as
da’eef by Ibn Hajar in Fath al-Baari (8/687), by al-Dhahabi in
Talkhees al-Mustadrak, by al-Manaawi in Fayd al-Qadeer (1/367)
and by al-Shawkaani in al-Fath al-Rabbaani (12/5930). Al-Albaani said
in al-Silsilah al-Da’eefah (1342): it is munkar.  

2 – It was narrated from Anas ibn Maalik (may Allaah be
pleased with him) that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be
upon him) said: “Whoever recites ‘When the earth is shaken with its
(final) earthquake’, it will be equivalent to half of the Qur’aan for
him.” Narrated by al-Tirmidhi (2893). 

Its isnaad includes al-Hasan ibn Saalim al-‘Ajali. Al-Mazzi
said: He is a Shaykh who is unknown and recited only one hadeeth. Al-‘Aqeeli
said: He is unknown with regard to transmitting hadeeth. Ibn Hibbaan said:
he narrates from trustworthy narrators things that do not sound right. 

See Tahdheeb al-Tahdheeb (1/396() 

The scholars are unanimously agreed that this hadeeth is also
to be regarded as da’eef. It was classed as da’eef by al-Tirmidhi when he
said, after quoting it: It is ghareeb. Al-‘Aqeeli said: It is not known, as
stated in Tahdheeb al-Tahdheeb (1/396). It was also classed as da’eef
by Ibn Hibbaan in al-Majrooheen (1/279), and al-Bayhaqi in Shu’ab
al-Eemaan (2/497). Al-Dhahabi said in Mizaan al-I’tidaal (1/523):
it is munkar. Al-Albaani said likewise in al-Da’eefah (1342). 

3 – It was narrated from Abu Hurayrah (may Allaah be pleased
with him) that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)
said: “Whoever recites ‘When the earth is shaken with its (final)
earthquake’ in one night, it will be equivalent to half of the Qur’aan
for him.” Narrated by Ibn al-Sunni in ‘Aml al-Yawm wa’l-Laylah
(691). 

Shaykh al-Albaani (may Allaah have mercy on him) said in
al-Silsilah al-Da’eefah (1342): It was narrated by Abu Umayah
al-Tarsoosi in Musnad Abi Hurayrah (2/195), but its isnaad is very
weak (da’eef jiddan); it includes ‘Eesa ibn Maymoon al-Madani, who was
classed as da’eef by a number of scholars. Abu Haatim and others said: His
hadeeth is to be rejected. End quote. 

Ibn Hajar said in Nataa’ij al-Afkaar (3/268): Its
isnaad includes a narrator who is very weak. End quote. 

From the above it is clear that there is no saheeh report
from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) about
Soorat al-Zalzalah being equivalent to half of the Qur’aan. But it seems
that some of the imams of the salaf followed this hadeeth and, based on
their own ijtihad, stated that the important meanings that are contained in
this soorah are equivalent to half of the principles that the Qur’aan
referred to. 

It says in Musannaf ‘Abd al-Razzaaq (3/372): It was
narrated that Ma’mar said: I heard a man narrating that ‘When the earth
is shaken with its (final) earthquake’ is equivalent to half of the
Qur’aan. 

It was narrated from Ja’far that Hishaam ibn Muslim said: I
heard Bakr ibn ‘Abd-Allaah al-Muzani say: ‘When the earth is shaken with
its (final) earthquake’ is half of the Qur’aan. 

Abu ‘Ubayd narrated a mursal report from al-Hasan al-Basri: “
‘When the earth is shaken with its (final) earthquake’ is equivalent
to half of the Qur’aan, and ‘By the (steeds) that run’ (Soorat
al-‘Aadiyaat) is equivalent to half of the Qur’aan.” 

See: al-Itqaan by al-Suyooti (2/413). 

It was narrated that ‘Aasim ibn Abi’l-Nujood al-Imam
al-Muqri’ said: 

It was said that whoever recites ‘When the earth is shaken
with its (final) earthquake’ it is as if he has recited half of the
Qur’aan. 

Ibn Hajar said in Nataa’ij al-Afkaar (3/270): its men
are thiqaat. 

Al-Manaawi said in Fayd al-Qadeer (1/367): 

Because the greatest objective of the Qur’aan is to explain
the creation and the resurrection, and ‘When the earth is shaken with its
(final) earthquake’ refers only to the resurrection, therefore it is
equivalent to half of the Qur’aan. This was referred to by al-Qaadi.  

End quote. 

This is the ijtihaad of some of the salaf, and it is not
permissible to attribute it to the Prophet (peace and blessings of
Allaah be upon him). It does not mean that it is equivalent to half of the
Qur’aan in terms of reward. 

And Allaah knows best.